Improvement in grain-separators



Unrrno Smarts JOHN J. WEST, OF onroneo, ILLINOIS.

' IMPROVEMENT 1e GRAlN-SEPARATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 178,037, dated May 30,1876; application filed December 13, 1875.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. WEST, of Ohicago, in the county of Cook andState of Illinois,-have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements inGrain-Separators, of which improvementsthe following is a full, clear,and exact description, which will enable others skilledin the art towhich my invention appertains to make anduse the said improvements,reference being bad to the accompanyingdrawing, forming a part hereof,and in which- 7 Figure 1 is a side elevation of the parts embodying myinvention; Fig. 2, a front elevation of the same; and Fig. 3, anelevation of the wind-wheel, detached, and representing one side asbroken partly away in order to show more fully the construction of thewheel.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts.

The object of my invention is to produce a more perfect cleaning andseparation of grain, and to render the motion of the movable parts of aseparator more even and regular than heretofore. For the purpose ofaccomplishing these results my invention consists, first, of a balancedair-escape valve, arranged and operating in such a manner as to equalizethe blast; secondly, of an air-wheel arranged for actuation by theair-current produced by a blower, in order that the movable parts of theseparator may be set inuaetion by means of the air-wheel; thirdly, inthe employment of a fly-wheel, substantially in the manner hereinafterdescribed, for the purpose of also steadying the motion of the movableparts of, the separator; and, fourthly, of an air-escape valve arrangedbetween the separator and the air-wheel, for the purpose of therebyregulating the amount of air that shall pass from the air-wheel into theseparator.

In the drawing, A represents the body of a grain-separator suitablyarranged for cleanin g and separating grain, and B is an ordinaryblower, such as is usually employed to produce a blast of air.

O is an air-flue, by means of which the airblast is conducted .into theseparator. D is an air-wheel, having suitable bearings, and inclosed ina box or case, D, forming a part of the flue C 5 or, in other words, theflue O communicates with the case D in such a manner that theair-current, before entering the separator, will strike the vanes of thewheel D, and cause it to be rotated. The arrangement of the wheel D andits case with relation to each other and the flue'O is clearlyrepresented in Figs. 1 and 2, one side of the case being represented inFig. 1 as removed, in order to show the wheel.

The flue O is provided with an air-escape opening or port, upon which isseated an escape-valve, .E. This valve may be spring loaded or balancedby a weight, or other suit-' able means that will exert a pressure uponthe valve per square inch of its area equal to the desired pressure ofthe air per square inch inthe flue, so that when the velocity of the fanincreases the volume of the air within the flue, thereby increasing thepressure therein above the limit required, the valve will lift and allowthe escape of the excess of air through the escape-opening, and therebyproduce a uniform pressure of the volume of air against the wheel, or atthe exit end of the flue or place of exit of the air in the separator. 1is also an air-valve, and is varranged between the separator and thecase D. This valve may be also balanced by means of a weight or spring,or held in any desired position by means of a pin or nut and screw, soas to thereby control the pressure of air in the upper part of the flueO. G is a fly-wheel mounted on the driving-shaft G, by means of whichshaft motion is communicated to the moving parts of the separator. 11 isa pulley mounted on the shaft 6, and H is a drivingbelt passing overthis pulley and over a pulley, H, on the shaft or spindle of the wheelD. The wheels G and 1) may, however, be

connected with each other by means of a chain, or by gear-wheels orotherwise, so that the former wheel may be driven by the latter.

When the blower B is set in motion an aircurrent is driven through theflue U, and enters the separator. This current sets the wheel D inmotion, when such a wheel is em A'rET FFIGFJ also drives the mechanism.hereinabove referred to. I deem it preferable, but not absolutelyessential, to leave a larger space between the wheel D and one side ofits case than at the other side, as shown at a, in order that the airmay not be too much impeded in its course toward the separator. Thevalve E may be employed independently of the wheel D; for whetherthiswheel be employed or not, the valve will perform the function ofrendering the current even and uniform,whether the current firstactuates the wheel or passes into the separator without the resistanceoffered by the wheel. When the wheel D is not employed the valve E maybe arranged on the body of the separator, instead of on the flue O, asshown, and the blower may communicate with the separator without theintervention of the flue. When the wheel D is employed the valve E, byregulating the force, of the current, also regulates the action of thewheel. V

4 I do not limit myself to the location of the escape-valve E upon theflue, as described, as the same may be located at any point between theair-inlet of the fan or blower and the point where the volume of air isto perform its work, and produce a uniform blast or press ure of theair. fly-wheel Gr, when employed in connection with the mechanism whichsets the moving parts of the separator in action, will also regulate themotion of this mechanism, and render it even and uniform. The fly-wheel,by

operating in connection with the wheel D in the manner described, willalso regulate. the motion of the latter wheel, and consequently rendermore even the force of the blast which enters the separator. When thewheel D is I It is also obvious that the employed it may be necessary toemploy a stronger current of air to drive it than would be desirable tohave enter the body of the separator. The valve E may then be made tocontrol the force of the current which enters the chamber or box D; andif this current, after acting on the wheel D, should be too great, thevalve F may be made to diminish the force of the current before itenters the body of the separator."

My improvements will be found to be particularly useful in connectionwith motive powers having uneven velocity, such as horsepowers, forexample.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is- I 1. In combination with a separator andblower, the air-escape valve E, arranged between the air-inlet of theblower and the place of exit of the air in the separator, substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of an air-wheel with the flue which conducts theair-current from the blower into the separator, substantially as and forthe purposes specified.

3. In combination with a separator and I blower, the air-wheel D, flueC, and valve F, all arranged for operation together, substantially asand for the purposes specified.

4. In combination, the fly-wheel G, shaft G, air-wheel D, connected withthe wheel G, the blower, and the separator, substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

'JOHN .LwEs'r.

Witnesses:

F. A. HERRING, F. F. WARNER.

